Deputy Marshal John Gill

Photo of Deputy Marshal John Gill
End of Watch: Tue, Feb 24th, 1885
Date of Incident: Tue, Feb 24th, 1885
Cause of Death: Gunfire (Intentional)
Service Time: Not Known
Age: Not Known

Incident

Deputy Marshal John Gill was shot and killed while assisting the another deputy marshal arrest a drunk and disorderly man.

They had taken the man into custody and were taking him to jail when they were approached by the town marshal of Farmers, Kentucky. The other town marshal leveled his pistol at the officers and ordered them to release the prisoner. The officer complied and the subjects then began to head towards the depot.

A posse was formed and went to the depot to recover the prisoner and take the other town marshal into custody. When the posse arrived at the depot the man opened fire, killing Deputy Marshal Gill and wounding another man before he was subdued.

The Farmers town marshal had forcibly abducted a girl the previous night and she was found at the depot and returned to her father. The town marshal was sentenced to 21 years in prison for Deputy Marshal Gill's murder. In 1893 the Kentucky governor rejected a request to pardon the man.

Information obtained from the Officer Down Memorial Page.

Agency

Mount Sterling Police Department Patch
35 South Bank Street
Mount Sterling, Kentucky 40353
(859) 498-8899

Tributes

There are currently no tributes for Deputy Marshal John Gill.